The invention relates to an electrically excited gas laser having an optical resonator which has an inside conductor surrounded by a cylindrically symmetrical outside conductor. The free space between the inside conductor and the outside conductor forms the excitation chamber in which an electrical discharge takes place between the outside conductor and conducting wires at ground potential surrounding with space the inside conductor.
Gas lasers of the above-described construction are known in the form of pulsed carbon dioxide lasers from German Pat. No. 2,919,708. This construction is characterized by an especially compact accommodation of the excitation chamber.